Yandere Simulator - Story Mode
by JustDancePark
Summary: Follow Ayato Aishi (Yandere-Kun) in his mission to make senpai his and his alone.
1. Intro Thing

August 15th Intro. (word for word, because why not)

I can't feel anything. For as long as I can remember, I could never feel emotions. I pretend to be normal when I'm around other people, but on the inside, I feel nothing. It's not as bad as it may sound, I know I'm broken. But I don't care. This is normal for me. It was normal for me. But, everything changed when I met him... My senpai.

For the first time I felt something. A strong desire, a longing, a yearning, a craving. Now I finally understand what it means to be human; to be alive. I'm addicted to the way he makes me feel. I don't care about anything else. He is everything to me. And now…

Someone **is trying to take him from me...**

She wants him, but not in the same way that I want him. She will never appreciate him the way I do. She doesn't deserve him. He belongs to me alone. ALONE. She has taught me a new emotion.

Rage.

I want to stop her… I want to hurt her…

 **I want to kill her.**

THERE IS NOTHING I WON'T DO FOR SENPAI. I WON'T LET ANYONE COME BETWEEN US. I DON'T CARE WHAT I HAVE TO DO. I DON'T CARE WHO I HAVE TO HURT. I DON'T CARE WHO'S BLOOD I HAVE TO SPILL. I WON'T LET ANYONE TAKE HIM FROM ME. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. NO ONE ELSE MATTERS. Senpai will be mine.

 **He doesn't have a choice.**


	2. A Beginning

**Welp, let's get this thing started. Enjoy.**

Ayato walked down the hardened path. The wind seemed to pass straight through his clothes, sending a strange chill down his spine. But besides the chilling breeze, it was a calm and quiet morning. Well, almost quiet.

He watched as Taro ran to the corner of the street, his arms flailing awkwardly as he did so. Taro-senpai definitely wasn't the most athletic, but that didn't really matter. He stopped at the street sign, bending over to catch his breath. Ayato ducked behind a nearby bush and leaned forward. He thought about approaching, maybe even saying hi. He wanted nothing more than to be next to Taro-senpai, but just the thought of getting any closer made his face flush.

It also didn't help that there was already someone else keeping him company.

"Osana! I-I'm sorry I-"

"Did you oversleep again?! Ugh! You always keep me waiting!" The girl snapped.

"I'm sorry," he said once again, "but if it's really that much trouble… I mean… you don't have to wait for me you know. We could just-"

"What? No!" She yelped, her face glowing red. "T-that's not what I- Ugh nevermind! Let's just go! Idiot."

The pair then began their walk to the school. After they were a safe distance away, Ayato stood from behind the plant, brushed himself off, and continued his own walk to school as well.

 _That girl. That stupid girl._

Bitter thoughts began to fill his mind. And with the bitter thoughts came that feeling… That burning feeling.

 _That stupid, ugly, ungrateful, bitch. She doesn't deserve his company._

Ayato managed to put most his thoughts aside as he entered the school grounds, though the burning in his chest remained. He watched as others began to socialize, removing their outdoor shoes, giggling and smiling with one another. The students then huddled, surrounding themselves with classmates they felt the most comfortable around, and sticking to that group. It was something they did often.

"Greetings, my petite friend."

Ayato looked up from his locker. Someone was talking to him. Someone he was sure that he'd never spoken to before. An older boy, who was just barely taller than he was, beamed at him.

"What?" Ayato responded.

"Photography and Newspaper Club!" He exclaimed. "We're taking new members, you should join."

Ayato frowned, taking the small flyer the boy seemed to be offering him. It was a colorful hand-made paper with a neatly drawn sketch of a camera on the front.

"Who are you? Why are you asking me of all people?"

He smiled. "I'm asking everyone. But I'll admit it, when I saw you standing here by your locker, I felt compelled to talk to you." He held out his hand. "Call me Jonzu."

Ayato returned his smile, shaking his hand. Not because he found him interesting, or enjoyed his company, but because that was what you did when you received a friendly introduction.

"Ayato."

"Nice. I-" The school bell rang, causing the social crowds to scatter. Jonzu looked disappointed. Ayato felt grateful that the conversation was being put to an end.

"JONZU!" A student called from afar. "CLASS!"

He watched as Jonzu rolled his eyes and turned to leave. "Think about it Ayato. I'd love to see you there."

Ayato put the flyer into his bag, though he was certain that he was never going to need it. He slipped on his school shoes and walked down the hall, beginning another pointless day. He sat quietly in each class, only speaking when spoken to, laughing whenever the others laughed, standing when the others stood. At lunch and break times he often followed his senpai around, watching in agony as he continued to waste his time with that Osana. After school he would walk swiftly and silently, following senpai home, making sure he stayed safe and sound.

This was the schedule from some time. Watch senpai before, during, and after school, with mild interruptions from Dashi and other students. It stayed this way until Friday after school, when Ayato received a text from an unknown number. The following conversation… changed some things.

 **N/U: Hey**

A.A: Do I know you?

 **N/U: I saw you stalking an upperclassmen today.**

Ayato paused before responding.

A.A: Do you have a problem with that?

 **N/U: No, I wanted to give you some information about the girl he was with.**

 **N/U: Her name is Osana Najimi.**

 **N/U: She has a crush on him.**

 **N/U: She believes in the myth about the cherry tree behind the school.**

A.A: The myth that if you confess your love to someone underneath that tree on a Friday, they are guaranteed to accept your confession?

 **N/U: Correct.**

 **N/U: She's planning to confess to him next Friday.**

A.A: Why are you telling me this?

 **N/U: I would be happy if something bad happened to Osana-chan.**

 **N/U: I think you might be the right person to give her what she deserves.**

A.A: Who are you?

 **N/U: I'm the person nicknamed "Info-chan" at school.**

A.A: I've heard rumors about you. You blackmail girls and sell panty shots to boys. Nobody knows your real name.

 **N/U: The rumors are true.**

 **N/U: If you ever need a favor, text me a panty shot and I'll give you whatever support I can.**

 **N/U: If you want to know personal information about anyone at our school, just send me a photograph of their face, and I'll tell you everything I know about them.**

A.A: You're disgusting.

 **N/U: You're a stalker.**

 **N/U: If you want my help, text me. If you don't care, ignore me.**

 **N/U: You have one week until your precious Senpai belongs to Osana-chan.**

 **N/U: I hope you make her suffer.**

…

Ayato stood still for a moment. Then he threw the phone across the room, slamming it against his desk. His heart was pounding. His hands were shaking. What was it? What was this damn feeling? Why did it hurt so bad?

" _No…"_

He tore off his bag, letting all of the contents pour onto the floor, and kicked it far as he could. Anger wasn't the right word, he knew what _that_ was.

" _Not like this… It can't end like this…"_

He hit the wall, scaring his poor kitten. The small feline jumped onto the desk, knocking over Taro-senpai's portrait. Ayato walked over to the picture and grabbed it, stroking the image gently. Lovingly. So gentle that the glass covering the photo began to crack. So lovingly that his hands were bleeding red with passion.

" _She can't… She won't…"_ He nodded to himself _. " I'll keep you safe… Senpai…"_

…

…

…

…

"… _**Safe and sound."**_


	3. The Next

**It makes me feel more comfortable to submit more than one chapter at a time. I don't know why...**

Ayato sat alone on the courtyard bench, rereading the conversation. He had a week, just five days, to make sure that Osana didn't confess to Senpai and ruin his life. Where to even begin? He scrolled through the messages again.

Info-chan… Could he trust someone like that? Probably not. But this sort situation didn't really seem to require trust, just a common goal. Info-chan disliked Osana, and so did Ayato. Shouldn't that be enough? Maybe-

"Who ya textin?" Ayato bolted upright. Jonzu stood behind him, his eyes focussed on Ayato's phone.

He quickly turned off the screen and glared at him. "None of your business. Why are you still bothering me?"

Ayato hadn't sensed him approaching. He wasn't even sure how long he'd been standing there. How much had he seen? What was he doing?

"I just wanted to say hi." He smiled at him, like always. "Honestly, you're so interesting Yato-kun! I really wish you'd join my club."

Ayato sighed, "I don't want- what did you just call me?"

"Yato-kun." He laughed. "You know, A _ **yato**_ … _**Yato**_ -kun… It's clever, I'm clever. Did I impress you _Yato-kun_?"

" _Stop_ calling me that, and _stop_ trying to invite me into your club. I'm sure there are tons more female students that would be delighted to get a personal invite from you."

It was true. Fureddo Jonzu, 4th year student, was seen as fairly attractive and well known throughout the school. Girls seemed to adore his blonde hair and his quirky yet charming personality. They claimed he was a natural born leader, the best of the best. Ayato didn't really care. He had a lover, and that lover was all he wanted.

"But I want you in my club Yato-kun. What's wrong with clubs? You could learn a lot from them. I know I learned a bit when I was being trained by Budo after a club leader meeting. Ha! And that Oka with her little magic stuff- have you met Oka? Nice girl. Don't piss her off- Oh! Hey! I remember one time-"

Jonzu continued to babble on, Ayato ignored him for the most part. It was pointless to take anything he had to say seriously. Jonzu was just another ignorant student, another worthless pawn. Speaking of worthless pawns.

Ayato's eyes narrowed as he watched Osana suddenly pause, mid-sentence.

"Sorry!" He heard her say to her friends. "Phone call!"

Osana turns away from the group and quickly jots through the twin doors, disappearing inside. Ayato rose from his seat.

"..and then he showed me a picture of her- Hey where're you going now?" Jonzu whined.

He ignored him and headed into the school building. Following Osana's voice led him farther into the school, down a dead-end hallway. Ayato slowly crept behind a corner, leaning in as far as he could. Osana was pacing the floor, looking stressed and shaken.

"I told you to stop calling me, you creep! How many times do I have to say it? I'm! Not! Interested!" She hissed. "If you don't stop bothering me, I'm gonna call the cops and-"

She paused. "...wait...what...? Are you...serious...?! Okay. Okay, Fine! I won't call the police. Look, this is a bad time for me. We'll talk about this later. Just...don't do anything rash, okay?"

Osana hung up the phone, a look of pure defeat on her face. " ...ugh...why did something like this have to happen?!" She cried out.

Ayato watched as Osana turned and headed back outside.

"Osana, Osana. You naughty girl…" He muttered.

Ayato wondered what kind of reasoning Osana would have for that type of behavior. But over that, he wondered how Taro-senpai would react if he were to find out. He hoped that senpai would think less of her at the very least. He didn't have enough evidence to bust her for anything right now. But… Maybe just enough to spark a series of rumors.

He frowned, casually strolling back to his seat on the bench. If only he had caught on to a location, or maybe a name. Ayato put his hand to the phone that rested in his pocket. Maybe he could text back Info-chan. There was a good chance that she would more information on Osana.

No. The second he began to rely on Info-chan was the second Ayato would become dependent on her. That was not going to happen. Not now.

"Osana."

Ayato jumped in surprise once again. Jonzu was sitting right beside him, staring expectantly.

"What about her?" Ayato asked, subtly scooting away.

"You were just talking to her weren't you?" He concluded, unsubtly inching closer.

"Sure."

"That's nice, so you two must be friends then."

"Sure."

"So I guess you'll be having lunch with her today? Shame, I wanted to eat with you."

"Sure. But why do you assume we're having lunch together. Not all friends do that you know." He stated. While his presence was close to unbearable, Jonzu was useful for learning new social topics and queues that Ayato had never known before.

He shrugged. "I just happen to notice that Osana was carrying around two bentos instead of one. It's for you right?"

He felt his chest beginning to burn again. So Info-chan had been 100% correct. Osana was no doubt trying to make the moves on Senpai, making him lunches like the little whore she was. Ayato had the sudden urge to yell, but he didn't. Instead, he turned his attention back to Jonzu.

"You know, I could make you bentos too! I'm not the best chef of course, but I could try Yato-kun." He smiles. "We could- What are you doing?"

Ayato brought his phone to Jonzu's face and snapped a picture of him. He saved the photo and sent it to Info-chan.

 ***Image***  
 **-Fureddo Jonzu**  
 **-Reputation: 93**  
 **-Personality: Social Butterfly**  
 **-Club: Photography/Newspaper**  
 **-Crush: None**  
 **-Strength: Incapable of Self Defense**  
 **-Additional Information: President of the Photography Club, also runs the school newspaper. Enjoys "messing around" with girls and boys. Surprisingly friendly with the delinquents and school staff.**

Ayato glanced at Jonzu, to his phone, then back at him… So it really did work.

"Did you just take a photo of me?" He posed. 'Not that I mind or anything- but hey! This proves that you're photography club material!"

Ayato ignored him. Now that he knew that the messages worked quickly and quietly, he could go and get a picture of Osana. But would Osana be ok with some random guy going up to her and snapping a picture? There's really no simple way to do that, unless… No. There was no way he was going to join Photography with that weirdo. There were less painful ways of getting what he wanted.

Jonzu poked him on the cheek. "So what shall we do now, Yato-kun?"

He sighed, ignoring Jonzu's question. The girls were beginning to leave. In fact, everyone was beginning to leave.

"Oh. Class time." Jonzu concluded.

Ayato groaned. "Great."


	4. Drama Jazz Hands

**Question: How does one write like they're running out time? Write day and night like they're running out of time? Everyday they fight like they're running out of time?**  
 **Answer: Idk I guess history has their eyes on them or something...**

Ayato decided to focus on one thing at a time. Right now, he needed to do something about Osana's extra lunch. Senpai was not about to have his pure aura tainted by Osana's disgusting pig food.

"-but then again no one likes spam mail every second of the day.."

Ayato groaned, trying his best to tune out Jonzu's constant chattering. Never had he met someone so... obnoxious. He stopped walking and turned to face him, causing him to go silent.

"Jonzu," he began. "Do you have any friends?"

He stared for a few moments before cautiously responding. "...Yes?"

"Then go and talk to them."

"But-"

"Bye." Ayato hurried down the hall, leaving the Photography Club leader behind. He wasn't important. He couldn't afford waste any time with him. He didn't need him. What he needed was a way to get rid of that lunch. Or maybe-

"Eeek!"

Ayato's thoughts were quickly interrupted by a sudden collision. He was now on the ground, face to face with another student.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry I- geez I've gone and dropped everything!" The girl began crawling around, gathering all of her scattered belongings.

Ayato frowned. "Are those.. weapons?"

It looked like just as much. The girl seemed to be traveling with a large assortment of dangerous objects. Knives, a hammer, a wooden bat, and many more. There was even a katana in the mix.

She nodded, causing her twin-drills to tumble and bounce. "But don't worry, they're fake. Could you just..?"

Ayato extended his arms and allowed the student to place the large amount of "weapons" in his hands.

"Thanks! Sorry again for bumping into you, I'm in a bit of a rush." She explained. "I need to get these props to the drama club asap!"

The girl seized Ayato's wrist and lead him down the hall, into dimly lit room.

"You can just leave those on the table there-"

Suddenly the bell for the morning classes rang. Ayato was officially late, fortunately for him, he wasn't in any sort of rush to get back. Attendance was never really a major concern for him. The girl, however, seemed extremely concerned by this.

"Oh gosh!" She cried out. "You're late because of me! Oh I've just ruined-"

She suddenly gasped. "Wait! This can work!"

Ayato watched as the student ran around the room, fumbling with different items and rearranging the scenery. She handed Ayato a plastic knife.

"You can help me practice scenes!" She gushed. "That way you can miss part of class and I can get our club leader to write you a pass! It's a win win.. kind of..."

There was a small moment of silence.  
"So," the girl began again. "What do you think of that?"

Ayato looked around the room, taking in the various assortments of masks, costumes, and props galore. It was... cluttered. Nothing about this place stirred any emotions within him. The girl's brightness and enthusiasm brought him no sort of sympathy or motivation. Ayato considered walking out and going back to class; at least there he could sit and think in peace.

But then again, he could really use a hall pass, and he was quite certain that whatever was going on in class wasn't half as interesting as this set up the girl had arranged.

"What sort of scene are you working on?" Ayato questioned.

The girl's smile brightened. "It's a murder mystery!"

She lead Ayato to the stage. "Just act as though you're going to kill me. I'm playing the first victim."  
Ayato paused for a moment, then raised the toy knife and brought it down, tapping the girl's head lightly. "Like that?"

"Kind of." She repositioned the weapon in his hand. "Hold it like this, and the script says we have to struggle for a while. Let's do it again."

They tried the scene again. Then again. And once more. Each time Ayato would attempt to attack, and each time he would get critiqued.

"More force this time! You have to overpower the victim."

"Hold the knife firmly, you can't drop the murder weapon before you kill them!"

"Alright this time I'm going to fight back."

"C'mon you act like this is your first time! Ha, I'm joking."

The process went on. Sometimes they would switch weapons, other times they would change settings, every time, the girl would get "killed".

"You're getting really good at this," she beamed, "but it doesn't feel like you're really getting into the role."

Ayato frowned. "Getting into the role?"

She nodded. "I mean, _immersed_. Isn't there anyone out there you really don't like- I mean, not to the point of wanting to kill anyone- but someone you could visualize while we practice?"

"..."

"Just try it!" She urged.

They went through the scene once more, but it was different this time. This time the scene felt new. It felt _better_.

As he brought the knife down, he could hear Osana's screams. As they struggled with the weapon he could practically see her pathetic body crumpling to the ground. Then finally, as the girl fell to the ground, gasping for air and clutching at her chest, Ayato saw Osana's worthless corpse, bleeding out onto the floor. The thoughts made his heart skip a beat.

"That was great! That felt so real! You really nailed it.. Uh.. Wow, I never asked what your name was." The girl rose from the ground, extending her arm. "My name's Kokona Haruka."

Ayato took a deep breath, regaining his composure. He shook Kokona's hand. "I'm Ayato. Ayato Aishi."

Kokona smiled. "Thanks for all your help." She glanced at the clock hanging above the door. "Oh it's already lunch time!"

Ayato turned towards the clock as well. "It's.. already..."

"Yeah, time sure does fly." Kokona grabbed her belongings and headed towards the door. "I'll make sure they don't mark you absent for class. Other than that, I guess we're done here. Thanks again Ayato."

Kokona left the room, leaving Ayato alone. He stood quietly for a moment, thinking. The image of Osana's corpse was still fresh in his mind.

That was.. He couldn't possibly...

Ayato stared at the toy knife in his hand. Osana needed to die. Surely, no one would miss her. Senpai would be sad, yes, but he'd get over it. He'd _have_ to. Without him.. everything would be so… empty… and meaningless.

"Don't be so rash," he told himself. "Let her get rejected first, then you can kill her."

He left the drama club's room and headed to the nurse's office.

It was lunch time.


	5. Stop Drop and Maybe Die

Ayato stood outside the nurse's office, frowning. He was hoping that since it was around lunch time, there wouldn't be any other students here. Unfortunately, the room seemed to be quite crowded today, with a total of three people inside. Two students and a nurse to be specific.

Ayato recognized one of them, a boy who he'd seen talking to Jonzu many times. He was lean and built, with thick dark hair and sharp grey eyes. They'd only spoken once before, but crossed paths enough times to become familiar with each other. The other student sat on the small bed, looking miserable. He had a bloody, beaten, and swollen appearance and was currently being treated by the nurse.

While still standing at the doorway, Ayato scanned the room. He'd gotten word from Info-chan that the school had many lethal and nonlethal poisons in stock. All he needed was a bottle, then he could finish what needed to be done. A task that was simple, yet complex, given the time restraints. On his way here, he managed to get Kokona and convince her to keep Osana busy for about ten minutes. So far, two minutes had passed. He decided to go forward while he still had time to spare.

He stepped inside and made his way to the small bed.

"Ayato," the non-beaten student flashed a small grin. "Nice to see you."

"What's going on in here?" Ayato asked.

"Another fist fight." The nurse shook her head disapprovingly. "Mr. Masuta was kind enough to break it up."

The beaten student on the bed glared at him. "I had it under control Budo!" He snarled.

Budo raised an eyebrow. "Your face says otherwise. Besides, you shouldn't be getting into fights anyways."

"Says the martial arts leader!" He snapped.

"That's different and you know it." Budo sighed. "Maybe if you joined, next time you picked a fight with the delinquents you wouldn't lo-"

"SHUT UP!"

Ayato paid them little attention, his eyes focusing on the sealed bottles locked with the cabinet behind them. There were many ways he could go, many routes he could take, but which one was the most appropriate? Just thinking about failure made his head hurt like never before. It felt like he was overthinking things, like there was an easier way to get what he needed and he'd just zipped past it. This was also a new feeling he had to get used to... _Worry_ , they called it.

"Is there something you need from in there?" The nurse asked.

Ayato suddenly realized how long and intensely he had been staring. "Oh! Uh..."

He decided to just be frank and pointed at the cabinet. "I need to see those bottles."

The nurse walked over to the cabinet, pulling out her keys. After reading the labeling, she paused. "What for?"

Already expecting the question, he answered. "Science project."

Instead of accepting his answer, she narrowed her eyes, and Ayato suddenly wished that he'd made a different decision.

"What class?" She asked. He knew what she meant by it, but still the question annoyed him, and he wasn't able to stop himself from making a peevish response.

"Science." Ayato said, and immediately regretted it.

The nurse didn't seem to appreciate his sarcasm at all, in fact, she looked like she was ready to kick him out.

"It's alright Ms. Nasu," Budo suddenly said. "Another friend of mine has the same assignment."

The nurse blinked. "Are you sure? I don't remember-"

"Positive." He nodded.

She thought for a moment, then simply sighed as she grabbed the bottles. "Well, I suppose I can trust you Budo. "

Ayato shot him a curious glance, to which he responded with a wink.

"Be sure to return them." Ms. Nasu urged.

Budo nodded once more. "Of course."

And with that, he took the bottles, grabbed Ayato by the wrist, and strolled out of the room and into the hall.

They stared at each other for a while, until finally, Ayato spoke up. "What was that for?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you lie for me? We barely know each other."

Bud smiled. "It's nothing like that, you just looked like you were in a hurry."

"Yeah but-"

"Don't worry about. Honestly, I was ready to leave just as much as you were." He drops the bottles into Ayato's hands. "I don't know why you would want these, but here you go. Tell Jonzu I said hi if you see him." Budo turned to leave, then stopped. "Actually... Don't. He tends to talk a lot. But I'm sure you already knew that."

Ayato smiled. It was a fake one, full of practiced enjoyment and artificial kindness. "Right."

After watching Budo turn down the hall, Ayato quickly headed to Osana's classroom. He'd wasted a good seven minutes with the nurse, and wasn't sure Kokona was still even there. He kept one bottle in each pocket; lethal in the left and nonlethal in the right. Another decision had to be made very soon.

As he got closer to the room, he could just faintly hear her voice.

"I know it's in here somewhere!"

He peeked inside. Osana was bent over, seemingly searching for something underneath the classroom's desks. He saw Kokona standing nearby, watching her intently.

"Are you sure it's not inside your bag?" She asked.

When she noticed Ayato at the doorway, she silently greeted him, pointing at Osana and giving him a thumbs up. He returned the gesture and mouthed a quick "thank you" her way. Ayato then pointed at the two of them and veered his hand towards the hallway. Kokona paused for a moment before nodding eagerly.

"Hey," she began. "Maybe we should check the girl's restroom. You probably left the phone in there."

Osana sighed. "I guess... Ugh! I really don't have time for all of this! I'm suppose to be meeting with Senpai right now!"

Ayato pretended to be admiring a poster on the wall as the pair walked out of the classroom. When they were a good distance away, he went inside, heading straight to Osana's desk. There were two bento boxes sitting next to one another, all the food packed neatly inside.

It would be so easy to just poison her meal and leave. No one would notice, no one would know. It was tempting, but he knew he had to wait. There was something there, something inside him that didn't want her to die yet. Something inside him wanted to draw it out, to make it painful. Why should he let her die now, while still thinking that there was hope for her and Taro-senpai? Why give her such a merciful death when he could make it so much worse?

Ayato opened a bottle and drenched Senpai's lunch. "Sorry, love."

As he screwed on the lid, he could hear Osana's voice getting closer.

"I'm so glad we finally found it! Now I can head to the roof."

He managed to walk out just as they were walking in. He turned around once last time and caught Kokona's friendly wave of farewell. He gave her a small smile and headed upstairs. Though the thought of any discomfort coming Taro-senpai's way hurt him immensely, Ayato figured he might as well see the result of all his efforts. It would all be worth it just to see Osana's miserable face.

The moment he opened the doors, he came face to face with another student. A rush of emotions seemed to fill him almost instantly.

"Ah! My mistake!" Taro said, taking a step back. "I guess I should've used the right door instead of rushing through the left." He let out a small laugh.

Ayato froze, his mind going completely blank. "S-se..."

"Are you.. alright?" Taro asked, his expression deep with concern. "You're whole face is red."

This was probably the closest Ayato had ever been to Senpai. It was a million times different from admiring him from afar, or staring at a photo. Taro-senpai was just inches away, and it made Ayato feel so.. Ayato was... He felt... hot? Yes, that was it. He was hot. Everything was hot. He was on fire and his mind had practically melted. The flames ate through his chest, scorched his heart, and burned his soul.

Ayato made a sound that could only be described as a "squeak" when Senpai got closer.

"Um, excuse me? Are you ok?" He grabbed Ayato's wrist. "I was just leaving anyways, I could take you to the nur-"

"Move it buddy!" Osana shoved the pair aside. "Honestly! Don't just stand in front of the door like an idiot!"

Ayato responded with a small " _mhm_ " and stepped aside, his eyes glued to the ground.

"Osana," Senpai said. "Where were you? I was just-"

"I had to find my phone." She sighed. "Anyways, I'm glad you're still here. C'mon!"

"Alright but- Ow! Ok, I'm coming!" Osana dragged Taro-senpai away, leaving Ayato alone.

His mind was still buzzing, and he barely reacted moments later when Senpai rushed past him again, hands clutching his stomach. He barely notice when Jonzu approached soon after and began to talk with him, or when the lunch period was over and he had to go back to class. He didn't even stop to look at Osana, who stood alone in the halls after class, sulking. The rest of the day was a blur, and before he knew it, Ayato was back at home, in his room.

He stared at his left arm, rubbing it gently. "Taro.. touched me..."

Ayato sat on his bed and curled into a ball. The small kitten jumped onto the bed and curled up as well, resting on his head.

"..and... spoke to me." He muttered.

He reached over and turned out the lights.

The day seemed to have lasted forever, so many things seemed to have happened. But it was only Monday. This was only the beginning.


	6. Fun Times

**I'm Late. Whoops. Let's begin.**

"Shh," he cooed.

Ayato propped himself directly in front of the girl, wrapping his arms around her. His hand cupped the back of her head, letting it rest on his shoulders. "Calm yourself.."

Saki's wrists strained against the ropes binding her to the chair, heart racing out of control. She was scared. Too scared.

"Just match your breathing to mine," he continued. "We've been at this for hours now, there's no point to having a panic attack now. Deep breaths. If you pass out again I'll only make it worse."

"P-p-please…" She began. "I c-can't take it anymore…"

"Ha! You're losing it." He mused. "Sooner or later you'll snap, and become an even bigger threat than me. Isn't that funny?"

Saki ignored him, her eyes focussed on the wall. Ayato stood up and approached her from behind, sliding his fingers through her hair and down her back. She could feel the heat of his hands through her clothes, as if he were on fire.

"I know what it's like to descend into madness," he smiled. "I can empathize."

"Lies…" She whispered. "All you do is lie."

Saki stiffened as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her a terrifying embrace. Her body was already aching, and whenever he touched her the pain seemed to triple.

How could she have let this happen? She didn't find it strange at all when the cute and timid high schooler complimented and did favors for her that Tuesday morning. A crush, she assumed. She thought nothing of it when he asked her to accompany him after class either. His was so gentle. So sincere.

"Stop this." She begged. His words tore through her mind when he spoke. Everything he said seemed to replay itself over and over again. It felt as if she was actually going mad.

"Do you even know what she's doing right now?" He sneered. "She'll be at home relaxing while you suffer."

"I don't-" Saki paused. "Who… who are you talking about?"

Ayato suddenly glared at her, turning her head to face him. "Were you even listening, you worthless brat?"

She trembled in response. He sighed.

"Koharu Hinata. She's in the cooking club with you, yes?"

"I…" Saki nodded. "Y-yes. But we're not-"

"You two spoke before school," he said, "and this conversation took place shortly after she ran past Taro, shoving him in the process.

"He dropped his stuff, and his hand hit against the locker." Ayato recalled. "I was truly appalled. Whatever she had to say to must've been really important."

Saki stared at him. "I don't understand.."

His loosened white shirt and slacks gave him the look of any other normal student, but his crooked grin and lifeless eyes said otherwise. There was something wrong with him. Something very wrong.

He looked her up and down. "You're hopeless then. No one rescues the hopeless Saki."

"W-what?" She stuttered.

"You think anyone actually cares about you?" He laughed, pulling her in closer. Saki tried to pull away, but his grip was solid. "No one will search for you. You're not worth their time. _Hopeless_."

"No…"

"It's true. I promise." Ayato suddenly glanced down at the watch on his wrist. "Well would you look at that. Break time's over."

She watched as his hand reached back into the duffle bag, pulling out various tools. "Try to stay conscious this time."

Her fists clenched as he mercilessly pinched the clamps onto her arms. The bolts ran through her body, slicing at her nerves like blades. Saki screamed in agony.

"Stop!" She cried out.

"No," he said. "You deserve this."

The pain continued. It went on and on, until she was unsure of how long it had been. It hurt. Everything hurt. Did she really deserve this? What had she done? She couldn't remember. All she could see was him. All she could do was suffer.

He watched her suffer, and when he got bored of the clamps, he brought out the pliers. And when he was bored with that, he switched to another tactic. The torture was endless. It stayed this way for hours, until he suddenly stopped once more to watch her cry.

"What do you want from me?" She sobbed.

"Poor thing, you're heartbroken." He said, gently stroking her hand as she bawled helplessly in the chair. "That makes the mind so weak." His fingers were suddenly ice cold against her skin. He reached in the bag once more.

"What are you-" She gasped.

She knew what was happening a second too late. Before she could react, Ayato shoved the shocker onto her head and turned it on.

The electricity seeped from the tool, into her head, and throughout her body. Saki choked and twitched. Ayato held it there for a few moments, then pulled back. Then he did it again, just to watch her jerk around. He should've stopped then, but he didn't. He found this entertaining; a good stress reliever as well. So he continued to torment her through the night.

The alarm clock sounded from above, interrupting Ayato's fun. It was already Wednesday.

He frowned, poking Saki in the cheek. She didn't react. She gave no response when he tried it again either. Ayato sighed, reeling her head back and wiping the blood from her mouth.

"I'll be right back." He says.

Ayato slowly felt himself getting dizzy as he walked up the stairs. He'd forgotten to eat yesterday. He'd also forgotten to do his homework, check his phone, feed his kitten, and every other task from his normal routine... Oh well. As far as he was concerned, yesterday was a success.

He'd humiliated Osana once again. After finding out her plans to show Taro-senpai pictures on her phone, Ayato decided to give her something worth showing. The look on her face when Taro walked away was greatly satisfying.

Ayato turned off the alarm clock and put a damp towel to his face. Things will be great today too. He made his way back down to the basement, where Saki was waiting for him.

"It's Wednesday. Are you ready for school?" He asked.

"..."

Ayato got closer and began untying the ropes.

"I don't want any trouble on our way there," he stroked her cheek. "You'll be an obedient dog, won't you?"

"I… I will…"

He smiled. "And you'll do whatever I say? Kill anyone who gets on my bad side?"

"I… yes.."

"Even Koharu?"

"...Anyone."


	7. Not a Lot

**Sorry for the lack of progress, I've been in a tight situation for a while ;-; Here's a little bit of what I've been able to write (not complete). I promise you longer and more frequent chapters in the future!**

Kokona made a habit of approaching Ayato in the mornings and accompanying him until classes began. During this time, she enjoyed engaging in small talk, innocent gossip (did you hear about the kitten behind the school?!), and other mundane activities.

Today, she asked, "So who's your new friend?"

Ayato was leaning against the school gate. Next to him, Saki Miyu sat curled up on the ground. It made sense that Kokona would find the situation questionable.

"This is Saki," Ayato answered. "You've met, I think."

Kokona gasped. "Saki?!"

She bent down to get a better look at the girl's face. "I barely recognized you! You look terrible!"

Saki didn't respond. She kept her gaze focused on her feet. Kokona continually tried to talk to her friend while Ayato scanned the area. He had already went over Saki's instructions and given her the appropriate tools, all he needed now was the victim.

"Kokona," Ayato said, "leave her be."

"Huh?" Kokona was still messing with Saki, fixing up her hair and giving her calming pats on the back. "But I think Saki might be sick, she's never this-"

"If she wanted help, she'd ask." He looked down at her. "Isn't that right?"

Saki nodded, eyes still staring towards the ground. From the corner of his eye, Ayato saw Koharu Hinata pass through the school entrance. Well since she was definitely here, there was no point to staying with her anymore.

"Let's go Kokona. She'll be fine." He began to walk away.

She huffed quietly and puffed out her cheeks. "But why? I think we should do something. Aren't you worried?"

Ayato continued his stroll. "No."

"Well," Kokona pushed herself back onto her feet, dusting off her skirt. "Maybe you should be. It doesn't take much effort to show a little concern."

Saki suddenly rose from the ground. She stood quietly for a moment before quickly walking past the pair, muttering under her breath. As she made her way inside of the building, Ayato made the smart decision to go anywhere that wasn't near her. He and Kokona walked along the brick wall, watching Saki until she was out of sight.

"She looks healthy," Ayato noted.

Kokona shook her head, her curls bouncing and swinging about. "I dunno…"

"How has the drama club been?"

"Are you trying to change the subject?"

"Yes."

Kokona stared at him. "Y'know, you're the most blunt and honest person I've ever met Ayato."

Ayato wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he just shrugged. She laughed at this.

"I guess I can't be mad at that. But you have to promise to come with me to check on her during lunch."

"Sure." He answered.

"Promise?"

"I-"

Suddenly, an ear splitting scream tore through the previously calming atmosphere. Ayato watched Kokona frantically search the area, turning from side to side.

"What was that?!" She yelped.

Students bursts through the front doors in a panicked rush. Some hid, others fled the school all together, either way they were all trying to get away from _something._


	8. The Rest

**Full Thing**

Kokona made a habit of approaching Ayato in the mornings and accompanying him until classes began. During this time, she enjoyed engaging in small talk, innocent gossip (did you hear about the kitten behind the school?!), and other mundane activities.

Today, she asked, "So who's your new friend?"

Ayato was leaning against the school gate. Next to him, Saki Miyu sat curled up on the ground. It made sense that Kokona would find the situation questionable.

"This is Saki," Ayato answered. "You've met, I think."

Kokona gasped. "Saki?!"

She bent down to get a better look at the girl's face. "I barely recognized you! You look terrible!"

Saki didn't respond. She kept her gaze focused on her feet. Kokona continually tried to talk to her friend while Ayato scanned the area. He had already went over Saki's instructions and given her the appropriate tools, all he needed now was the victim.

"Kokona," Ayato said, "leave her be."

"Huh?" Kokona was still messing with Saki, fixing up her hair and giving her calming pats on the back. "But I think Saki might be sick, she's never this-"

"If she wanted help, she'd ask." He looked down at her. "Isn't that right?"

Saki nodded, eyes still staring towards the ground. From the corner of his eye, Ayato saw Koharu Hinata pass through the school entrance. Well since she was definitely here, there was no point to staying with her anymore.

"Let's go Kokona. She'll be fine." He began to walk away.

She huffed quietly and puffed out her cheeks. "But why? I think we should do something. Aren't you worried?"

Ayato continued his stroll. "No."

"Well," Kokona pushed herself back onto her feet, dusting off her skirt. "Maybe you should be. It doesn't take much effort to show a little concern."

Saki suddenly rose from the ground. She stood quietly for a moment before quickly walking past the pair, muttering under her breath. As she made her way inside of the building, Ayato made the smart decision to go anywhere that wasn't near her. He and Kokona walked along the brick wall, watching Saki until she was out of sight.

"She looks healthy," Ayato noted.

Kokona shook her head, her curls bouncing and swinging about. "I dunno…"

"How has the drama club been?"

"Are you trying to change the subject?"

"Yes."

Kokona stared at him. "Y'know, you're the most blunt and honest person I've ever met Ayato."

Ayato wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he just shrugged. She laughed at this.

"I guess I can't be mad at that. But you have to promise to come with me to check on her during lunch."

"Sure." He answered.

"Promise?"

"I-"

Suddenly, an ear splitting scream tore through the previously calming atmosphere. Ayato watched Kokona frantically search the area, turning from side to side.

"What was that?!" She yelped.

Students bursts through the front doors in a panicked rush. Some hid, others fled the school all together, either way they were all trying to get away from _something._

Ayato took Kokona by the wrist and pulled her forward. "We should go and see what's happening."

They quickly headed towards the source of the madness, dodging flailing students and sneaking past panicked teachers and staff. The chaos seemed to be coming from the school's cooking club area.

Outside of the room's entrance stood Kuroko Kamenaga, one of the student council members.

"Stand back," she said, extending her arm, "no one comes beyond this point until the police arrive."

"Police?" Kokona squeaked. "What's going on?! Why are the police involved?"

Kuroko shook her head. "Nothing that you need to concern yourself wi-"

"Apparently, a student came up, tackled another student, then started stabbing her to death." Budo approached from around the corner, holding a stack of documents. "At least.. that's what everyone is saying."

"Someone died?!" Kokona gasped.

Kuroko paused, then nodded. "I'm afraid so. Though," she glared Budo's way, "at times like this it is best not to spread panic."

Budo simply shrugged. "I'm just relaying the news."

"Do you know who it was?" Ayato asked, just to be sure.

"We can't-" Kuroko began.

"Koharu Hinata and Saki Miyu." Jonzu suddenly entered the conversation, casually strolling up to Ayato and leaning on his shoulder. "I also heard that after Saki killed Koharu, she commited suicide right on top of her."

Ayato frowned. "She killed herself?" He hadn't told her to do that. Sure, it didn't really matter to him, but he had still wanted to use her for other tasks. All that time and effort for one measly kill. It was rather disappointing really.

"Hard to believe, right?" Jonzu said, watching him closely.

Ayato plucked Junzo's arm off of his shoulder. "Very."

"Well believe it," he said, grabbing for his phone, "I've got pictures and everything-"

"Give me _that_!" Kuroko hissed, snatching the device from his hands. "Do you have no shame? Who sent these to you?"

"Aw c'mon! It's not like I was going to post it online or anything!" Jonzu threw his hands up in despair. "I need it! This is a murder mystery phenomenon! Just what our newspaper has been looking for!"

"Mystery?" She scoffed. "There is no mystery. One student harmed another-"

"But why?" He began, his eyes lighting up. "What's the motive? When was it planned? Were others involved? What was the relationship between the two? These are the questions people! And the student population must be informed!"

Budo raised an eyebrow. "You really think it's that deep?"

"I _know_ it's that deep." Junzo confirmed. "It has to be."

"...Saki." Kokona suddenly said. "No… Saki wouldn't… this can't be right.."

Junzo turned to face her. "You knew Saki?! That's great-I mean horrible of course, very tragic-but vital to the cause! What was she like? Any murder-ish tendencies? Crazy personality traits?"

"What?! No!" Kokona said. Her eyes were puffy and wet. "Saki was one of the sweetest, kindest people I knew!"

"She killed somebody." Budo helpfully pointed out.

"No.. I can't believe that.. I WON'T believe that!" She cried. "I…"

Kokona burst into tears once more. Kuroko placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go home and rest. We'll leave it to the police to figure things out from here."

Kokona nodded, wiping her face. As she began to leave the area, Ayato followed close behind, eager to distance himself from the slowly forming crowd.

They made their way through the entrance and soon past the gates. They walked in silence, and Ayato watched as the authorities poured into the school group by group.

"I just don't get it…" Kokona finally said. "I mean I knew that she was acting weird all morning but…"

She turned to him. "Ayato… this morning, when I was checking on Saki, I saw… scars.. and bruises all over her body."

He stared at her. "You found scars?"

"Yeah, and not just that!" She continued. "They weren't easy to see either. It was like they were purposely put in places that people wouldn't be able to notice at first glance."

 _Well duh_. "That's alarming." Ayato said.

"I didn't want to mention it while the others were around, because I didn't want to sound crazy. But I think that someone might've hurt Saki and forced her to… do what she did."

Ayato thought about this, or at least pretended to. "You really think so?"

"It's the only explanation." She said. "Do you think I should tell the cops about it? Would they believe me?"

"You'd need proof." Ayato answered. "Otherwise they wouldn't even consider it."

"You're probably right. But I can't just let this go. She was one of my closest friends."

Ayato took a moment to think about that. If he let it continue like this then Kokona could potentially become a bigger pain than she already was. He already had Junzo playing Sherlock Holmes over at the school. Why couldn't she just get over it?

But then again…

"Kokona."

"What?"

Maybe all of this could work out in his favor..

"You think that another student could be behind this?"

"What?! I hadn't thought of that..." She muttered. "What made you think that?"

"It's just that I remember seeing someone harassing her on my way to school this morning. That's why I was with her when you came by." Ayato said.

"Harassing her?" She echoed, eyes widening.

He leaned in. "I saw them push her against the gates and grab at her sides, yelling about something. But as soon as I got close enough to hear, they ran off. If what your saying is true... then this student..."

"Did you see who it was?! I bet they had something to do with it!" Kokona stomped her foot on the ground. "They won't get away with this!"

"I'll tell you," he said, "but we shouldn't jump to conclusions or do anything rash. We still don't have anything to use against them."

"Ayato just tell me who you saw!"

"..."

"Ayato!"

"Alright, alright." He sighed. "...It was another female student. Her name is Osana Najimi."


	9. Forgot to Name It

**(A/N) How does everyone (who actually reads this) feel about.. y'know... "touchy feely lovey-dovey scenes"? Like if future chapters included "romantic contact" between two characters, what are the limitations of comfort and excitement here?**

 **Also I've finished all of my busy stuff so I promise to update more now :D**

School had ended early after the incident, and it was now Thursday. Ayato didn't really have anything planned for the day, seeing as he spent the rest of his evening listening to Kokona's schemes and ideas. After warning her time and time again not to act too quickly on the information he had given her, he was pleased to see that rumors had already spread like a wildfire overnight.

He'd barely managed to walk through the doors and he was already hearing whispers about how Osana was the main culprit behind it all.

"Of course!" Ayato heard Junzo announcing in the halls. "The killer was just another victim!"

He overheard another group of students talking about how they heard that she sold panty shots and dated older men for money. He even got told a story of how she was apparently a transferred delinquent who got kicked out of her old school for murder.

Ayato sat outside, watching Taro read by the fountain, when he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He glanced behind him.

Kokona stared at him with doey eyes and a winey expression. "I swear I only told like.. three people. I don't know how this happened! Are you mad?"

Ayato shrugged. "I'm fine. But what about Osana? Does she know you started all of this?"

"Eep! Don't say it like that," Kokona looked around. "I actually haven't seen her today. Do you think she skipped school because everyone found out?"

"Well you _did_ post it online." Ayato said.

Kokona winced. "Anonymously."

"Either way, you managed to convince the whole school that she's some kind of cruel monster. Congratulations."

"Don't be like that," Kokona sat down next to him. "What are you doing anyways?"

"Are you changing the subject?"

She smiled, "Yep."

Kokona followed Ayato's gaze over to the fountain. "That's Taro, right?"

"Correct."

"Weren't you watching him just now?" She asked.

"I was." Ayato felt no need to deny it.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"...That's weird," she concluded, "you're weird Ayato."

"Surely not the weirdest, though." He said.

Kokona shrugged. "You're right, I've seen weirder. What are you doing after school?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"Well…" Kokona began. "I was talking to a friend that heard from a friend who heard from a teacher who was talking to the staff who heard from the counselor who heard from another student tha-"

"Alright," Ayato sighed, "just skip to the important part."

"There's supposed to be some sort of party hosted by the drama and cooking club tonight!" Kokona bounced with excitement. "The claim that it's for fundraising purposes and such, but everyone knows better than that."

"What's your point?"

"My point is, I want you to come with me. I mean, after everything that just happened we should take this opportunity to, y'know, relax our minds and stuff." Kokona said.

Ayato didn't hesitate to respond. "No."

"What? Why not?" She whined.

"That sounds like a waste of time. Go alone."

"It'll be _fuuun_."

"I'm not going."

"There will be _foood._ "

"Still not going."

"And _gamess_."

"Stop that."

"And cool _peoplllee_."

"Kokona, no."

She frowned, sticking her tongue in his direction. "You're no fun."

"I'm aware."

They sat in silence for a moment, before Kokona suddenly looked up at him, a devilish smile on her face. "I heard that Taro was going to be there."

"Kokon-" Ayato paused. "T..Taro's going?"

She nodded, getting back onto her feet. "Come back to the school gates around seven, we'll meet there."

And with that she headed back to the building, leaving Ayato alone once more.

"A party.."

Ayato had never been to a party before. Small mandatory birthdays, sure, but a real life, large-scale social event? No.

He wondered who was going to be there, and how he was going to avoid them all. He wondered if senpai would bring Osana, and how he was going to deal with it. Mostly, he wondered why that martial arts guy was watching him from afar.

Ayato stared back at him, long enough for Budo to realize that he had been caught. He stood flustered for a moment before quickly approaching.

"Uh- Hi! Hey! It may have looked like I was staring at, and or stalking you but I assure you if you let me explain-"

"What are you doing?" Ayato asked.

"Nothing much- I mean obviously I was doing something but um.. Hey Ayato! How've you been?"

"...Decent."

Budo smiled nervously. "Really? That's good."

Ayato concluded that everyone here was a nuisance. If he could sit alone in peace and admire his beloved from afar, what was the point of even staying out here anymore? Ayato stood, grabbing his belongings. "I'm going to go to class now."

"Ah wh- you're leaving?" Budo dove his hand into his pocket and presented Ayato with a long piece of fabric. "Here! Uh.. j-join the Martial Arts Club!"

Before Ayato could respond, Budo hurried back into the building, not daring to look back even once.

…

"What the hell..?" Ayato muttered.


	10. That Evening

**No excuses. I's a terrible author. I stopped posting for too long. I sowy. Enjoy more chapters.**

"Argh!" Kokona groaned. She paced the room, additionally kicking over any objects that happen to be in her way.

Ayato sighed. "Yes, keep stomping. That will definitely help."

Konoha whipped around and menacingly pointed a finger his way. "You. Shut up."

She continued to stomp around for a moment longer before finally calming down. Kokona slid to the floor, crossing her legs.

"Its fine," she muttered. "Everything's just fine."

Ayato raised an eyebrow. "Everything's fine?"

"NO!" Kokona snapped. She stood back up and punched the window curtains. It made a cute _woosh_ sound.

"My plan is falling apart. I was going to snoop around Osana's place after she left for the party. You know, for clues and stuff," Kokona said. "So we could prove her guilty. That's the whole reason we were going to go! I was going to have you be the lookout. It was a full proof plan!"

Ayato found many faults in this plan. "So?"

"So?! Osana's still at her house," Kokona hissed, throwing another punch. "She's been crying on the front porch for half an hour. Probably feeling the guilt of MURDER!"

"Probably," Ayato responded. "Does this mean we don't have to attend the party?"

Ayato had assumed that something was up when he'd suddenly received a text instructing him to meet at Kokona's place. Though, he didn't think that she was willing to go as far as breaking into someone's house.

"Don't you have anything helpful to contribute?" Kokona sighed.

Ayato turned to her. "I'm here, aren't I?"

The comment seemed to enrage her. "That's not enough! You're just…" Kokona fumbled for words. "...reacting! You're just listening to what I'm saying and reacting! This is important Ayato! Don't you care about justice for Saki? For Koharu Hinata?"

"Kokona," Ayato began, "you're being very hysterical right now."

She was slowly starting to become less of an annoyance, and more of an inconvenience. If he'd known that Kokona was as close as she was to Saki, then he would've had Saki get rid of her too. Unfortunately, Saki was dead, so it was too late for that, and as much as Ayato wanted to toss Kokona into his basement and lock her up for good, he couldn't have too many student deaths all happening back to back.

He took a deep breath. "In dire situations like these, it's important that someone is there to keep things calm and under control."

"..." Kokona sniffed.

"If both of us are frantic and panicky, then no real progress will ever be made," Ayato continued. "So, seeing as you are obviously in a constant state of high emotion, it is up to me to remain _seemingly_ apathetic. I have no choice here."

Kokona remained silent. She stared Ayato, trying desperately to search for any sign of emotion. After a long and hard search she finally turned away.

"So what?" She said. "You're just pretending to not care?"

Ayato nodded. "For your sake."

"That sounds stupid."

"It's the truth. On the inside I'm completely flooded with feels," Ayato said.

Kokona frowned. " _Flooded with feels_?"

"Yep. Very emotional. It's difficult to talk about without tearing up," Ayato said with a deadpan expression.

"..."

"I'm very good at keeping it all in."

"..."

"Blessing and a curse."

"..."

"I'm serious Kokona."

"..." Kokona glared at him for a second more, then headed for her room. She stormed inside and slammed the door behind her.

Ayato thought about going after her, but he really didn't care about her problems. Instead, he leaned back on the couch and scrolled through his phone. He'd gotten a new message.

 **InfoCreep:** Are you going to the event tonight?

Ayato stifled a sigh. The information broker was texting him? Out of the blue?

 **A.A.:** Why do you care?

 **InfoCreep:** I suggest that you go. I've heard some things. You're going to want to see it for yourself.

 **A.A.:** That sounds very suspicious.

 **InfoCreep:** I'm sure it does.

 **InfoCreep:** And change my contact name. It's distasteful.

 **A.A.:** You're distasteful.

 **InfoCreep:** Touché.

Ayato turned to face the hall behind him. Kokona still hadn't left her room.

 **A.A.:** I'm at Kokona's house. She's having a hissy fit.

 **InfoCreep:** Sounds fun. I'll be looking forward to your reaction tonight at the party.

That definitely sounded concerning. Ayato couldn't help but wonder what she meant by it.

"Kokona?" He called out.

There was no response. Ayato groaned. Maybe he could just leave without her. Then again, he'd no doubt be forced to listen to her whines and cries about it for days after. Her companionship was tiring, but it also had its perks.

Kokona was a very effective social shield. Whenever he didn't feel like talking with the other students, he'd just place her in front of him and she'd activate. An automatic chatterbox.

He'd also gotten many hall passes from her and her club. They were very useful for following his lover around the school without consequences.

And possibly the greatest perk of all: Whenever Junzo would come by to talk to him, all he had to do was turn to Kokona and act completely engaged in the conversation, and Junzo, not wanting to interrupt, would be gone in seconds. It was amazing.

"Kokona?" He called out once more. "Let's go to the party."

All he got was silence in return.

"Kokona? If you keep ignoring me, you're going to make me cry." Ayato said.

It was a lie, but it was worth a shot. He'd spent enough time with her to know that she was a sucker for sentimentalism.

The door creaked open. She'd opened it enough for him to see a single eye peeping through the crack.

"...you wouldn't," she muttered.

"Wouldn't what?"

"Cry," she said. "You wouldn't cry. You don't care."

"Kokona I-"

"You don't care! Saki died and you didn't care, so why would you care about me?! I'm doing all of this because I care! I care Ayato! I care so much it hurts! It hurts, and you don't care!"

"Kokona-" Ayato paused. Their eyes met. His mind flashed back to Saki, her agony filled expression. Kokona's eyes seemed to match that pain somehow. It didn't make much sense to him. Kokona wasn't tortured, so why did she look that way? Why would she say something like that? Something so stupid. So unthinkably stupid.

This was different. Her words had affected him, but not in the way he expected. There was a tingling in his chest. It spread throughout his body, causing his hands to shake, and starting a slight twitch in his eye. This was stupid. This was nonsense. This was… This was…

Hilarious.

The whole situation. Her anger, Saki's tears, Koharu Hinata's demise, Osana's suffering. It was all so redundant and ridiculous, and even then, Kokona was just standing there… Hurt. Sad. Offended? Had he offended her? If so, that was even more amusing.

A small laugh escaped his lips. He quickly covered his mouth, but that just resulted in a series of strange distorted sounds filling the room.

"A..Ayato?" Kokona leaned out of the doorway.

He didn't care. He hadn't cared when Saki begged for mercy. He hadn't cared when he watched her go to carry out her orders. He didn't think twice when he fed into the rumors on Osana. He hadn't cared at all, and he still didn't.

But Kokona did.

It was funny watching her care. It was even funnier knowing that it was all in vain. She'd never avenge anyone, she'd never find out the truth. And if she ever did, she'd be disposed of. Her efforts were meaningless, but she still continued to squirm.

He doubled over, choking on his own laughter. He had to bite his tongue to push it back down.

Was this normal? To find this much humor in this sort of thing? Maybe. Probably not. But since when was anything Ayato felt normal? He didn't mind this feeling. This drunken bliss that blurred his vision and brought pain to his chest.

He couldn't hold back his laughter any longer. Ayato slid off the couch, cackling to himself, tears rolling down his eyes.

"Ayato!" Kokona rushed out of her room and knelt down in front of him. "The heck is wrong with you?!"

"I-" Ayato coughed, struggling to catch his breath.

"Is this some sort of seizure?! Are you dying?! I didn't mean to kill you! I was just going to give you the cold shoulder for a bit! Please don't die!"

Ayato shook his head, breathing heavily. As the fit ended, the crazed feeling inside him quickly faded. His eyes were wet, but focused. He gazed at Kokona with a crooked grin. "I want you… to come with me tonight."

Kokona looked taken aback. "Ah! I-I mean.. are you sure you don't need rest? We don't have to-"

"No," Ayato said. He stood and stretched out. "I'm fine. Are you ready to go? We can get some intel on Osana from the other students, instead of illegally breaking into her house."

Kokona hesitated before nodding in agreement. She produced a small cloth from her pocket and rose up to wipe his face. "I'm sorry for snapping at you like that. I didn't mean any of it, I know you're not heartless. I didn't expect you to just break down all of a sudden."

All of a sudden? No. This wasn't some sudden, random thing. Ayato realized that he'd been holding that in for a while. It'd been slowly building up ever since he'd kidnapped that girl.

"Let's go," he said. That was something he'd have to manage. If not, it would only be a matter of time before he snapped. And if that were to happen…

Moving past that, he was still very curious as to what Info-chan knew about this party. It must've been pretty special for her to go out of her way to message him about it. Ayato was ready to find out.


End file.
